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Cricket fans will remember Andrew Hilditch as a former revolving door chairman of selectors, but current chairman John Inverarity is beating him off the break.

In the last two years of the Hilditch watch, he awarded 12 new caps in 24 Tests.

In his first 14 Tests, Inverarity has matched Hilditch’s dozen, and still has four Tests to go to complete the same time frame.

In 2009, Hilditch had David Boon, Jamie Cox, and Merv Hughes making up the panel with new caps Andrew McDonald who has played four Tests,
Ben Hilfenhaus playing his 25th, Phil Hughes (17), Marcus North (21), Bruce McGain (1), Grahame Manou (1), and Clint McKay just one.

In 2011-2012, Inverarity took over the chair with Rod Marsh, Andy Bichel, Michael Clarke, and Mickey Arthur.

The new caps in that period under Inverarity – Michael Beer (1), Usman Khawaja (6), Trent Copeland (3), Nathan Lyon playing his 14th, Shaun Marsh (3), Pat Cummins (1), James Pattinson playing his sixth, Mitchell Starc (4), David Warner playing his 10th, Ed Cowan playing his eighth, Matt Wade playing his fourth, and Rob Quiney on debut.

Throw in the regulars who made their debuts before 2009 over the four-year period – Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, and Nathan Hauritz and that adds up to an incredible 32 Australians have played in the last 32 Tests.

Revolving door alright.

Injuries have played a part, no doubt about that, but not to that extent.

Which begs the question is the five-man selection panel working? We’ve been through all this before when it was first muted. I was against it then, and that’s still the case.

Inverarity, Marsh, and Bichel should be the total panel. They are removed from the players, and not in the inner sanctum like captain Clarke, and coach Arthurs. And that’s the way it should be.

Just as importantly, Inverarity is the only full-time selector – Marsh and Bichel are part-timers. All three must be full-time, it’s the most important panel in Australian cricket, dictating the fortunes of the sport.

Over the last 75 years, there have been 38 three-man panels, 36 four-man, and just one five-man panel in the 1982-83 season when Phil Ridings was in the chair with Laurie Sawle, Ray Lindwall, Alan Davidson, and Greg Chappell, the only other time in Australian cricket history the captain has been an official selector for a home series.

The longest-serving three-man panel record in successive years is 13 held by Sir Donald Bradman, Jack Ryder, and Dudley Sneddon from 1954 to 1967.

The longest-serving four-man panel is five years – Trevor Hohns, Hilditch, Boon, and Allan Border from 2000 to 2005.

For preference a three-man panel does the job admirably. Four can become messy with a 2-2 vote, giving the chairman the casting vote, and five is too many.

I can’t see the current panel lasting too long. Simply, Clarke and Arthurs shouldn’t be selectors, they have their hands full doing what must be done within the team.

Be consulted by all means, but not involved in the final decision.

David Lord

David Lord was deeply involved in two of the biggest sporting stories - World Series Cricket in 1977 and professional rugby in 1983.
After managing Jeff Thomson and Viv Richards during WSC, in 1983 David signed 208 of the best rugby players from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France to play an international pro circuit. The concept didn’t get off the ground, but it did force the IRB to get cracking and bring in the World Rugby Cup, now one of the world’s great sporting spectacles

The Club Roar Awards have been run and won! Olympic Gold Medallist and all-round legend Steven Bradbury has announced who's getting a share in $10,000! Check out the winners HERE!

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The Crowd Says (10) | Page of Comments

November 11th 2012 @ 2:09pm Train Without A Station
said
| November 11th 2012 @ 2:09pm | ! Report

With respect to the current panel, almost half the new caps make up the first choice side now, whilst Uzi and Starc are second choice fringe players. There are a couple of left field selections such as Beer and Quiney who may not be looked back on as great selections but considering injury (cummins would probably first choice if fit), retirements and form slumps it would be unfair to compare the 2 panels. Looking at the previous panel, Hilf, Harris, Hughes and Paine are the only players who would still be first choices or fringe players, while North probably lasted a little longer than he should have.

I can’t agree with having Michael Clarke and Mickey Arthur on the selection panel. Players need someone they can confide in when it comes to form, technical issues and even personal issues which might affect their performance.

Clarke has already been linked to the sacking of Simon Katich and has been mentioned as having a favouritism towards certain players, i.e. Haddin and Hughes. Some have even said this is a NSW bias.

I don’t think Clarke is biased in any way but these sorts of rumours and accusations cannot help with team unity.

November 12th 2012 @ 7:12am Train Without A Station
said
| November 12th 2012 @ 7:12am | ! Report

Typical David Lord.Anyway people used to complain the team was harder to get out of than to get into, now they are giving away baggy greens.You earn stability through winning, not win as a virtue of stability.

Total agreement Mr Lord. Coach and captain should not be selectors. Too close.

Did not know Greg Chappell was a selector in 82/83. Not his best season.

Loved Cowan’s little cameo this arvo. Didn’t know he was so good at hooking and pulling. Clarke played pretty well give or take the odd slash. Africans will go hard in the morning, can these two get through the first hour? Wicket is pretty good,